How to Write a Scope of Work

Scope of work is the content that is documented in order to have a clear idea of what a particular work/project involves. This document is prepared to give direction to the proceedings of that project. Different formats are used in developing a scope of work for different projects. The basic idea of creating all these documents, however, remains the same.

The practice of writing scope of work helps in completion of a particular task/project in a smooth manner. Details of different aspects of a project help in providing a proper direction to the actual process of working. The following sections about how to write a scope of work should prove to be helpful in creating a proper document.

The purpose of a particular work/project is defined in this section. Reading the objective should provide an overview of the tasks to be completed in the process of completion of the project. A concise and precise objective statement is needed to present the reader with an idea about the work in the project.

This part of the document presents information about activities/tasks included in the project. The exact nature of work is explained and materials required for the project are listed in short. A detailed account of tasks to be completed during the project is presented through this section.

Details about the location of the work to be performed is presented through this section. The details about location of hardware are also given. The place where the workforce would assemble and carry out the specific tasks related to this project also is presented through this section.

The schedule of the project is presented through this section. Start and finish time of the project along with details pertaining to work hours can also be found here. Information about work hours is necessary for the purpose of billing. Anything and everything associated with scheduling is presented in this section of the document.

The list of deliverables, i.e. product/service to be delivered to clients is prepared or this section. This list helps in keeping an eye on the deadline. Information pertaining to the due date of a product is presented.

A set of industry standards are specified so that the actual work done is at par with the quality that is acceptable. The standards that one should adhere to in the process of completion of work are specified in this section.

The criterion for acceptance is set by the client or customer of the product/service. Details pertaining to this criterion are documented so that the team which undertakes that project has an idea of what the client expects.

This part/section is the most important in any scope of work document since, the success of a project depends on whether the product is accepted by the client or not.

Details about the breakdown of payment are presented in this section of the scope of work document. The payment, in any project, depends on acceptance by clients. It is necessary to mention whether payment is to be made up front or phased.

It is necessary to understand that there is no standard format for writing the scope of work document. For example, the formats for projects in IT and automobile firms are always different as the nature of work in both these sectors is different. It is therefore, necessary to consider all the different aspects of writing in the creation of such a document.